Ancient Christian Devotional: A Year of Weekly Readings, Lectionary Cycle A

Ancient Christian Devotional

by Thomas C. Oden (Editor), Cindy Crosby (Editor)

By helping us to read holy writings with ancient eyes, the church fathers help us drink deeply from the only water that can give us true life. This guide to prayer and reflection combines excerpts from the writings of the church fathers as found in the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture with a simple structure for daily or weekly reading and prayer. There are fifty-two weeks of readings following the weekly lectionary cycle A. You can read through them in order or by thematic interest. Each day you will also find a simple opening and closing prayer drawn from the prayers and hymns of the ancient church. Come and find the deep nourishment God offers through the insights of this "cloud of witnesses"--the ancient church fathers.

Genres: Devotional, Christian, Theology, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Church History, Prayer

296 pages, Paperback

First published April 11, 2007

About the author

Thomas C. Oden was Henry Anson Buttz Professor of Theology and Ethics at Drew University in New Jersey from 1980 until his retirement in 2004. He remained faculty emeritus until his death. He was the general editor of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture and the Ancient Christian Doctrine series as well as the author of Classic Christianity, a revision of his three-volume systematic theology.

Reviews

[Jeffrey Romine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as a daily devotional and found it thought provoking. On occasion the early fathers come up with interpretations of passages that just never would've crossed my mine. I found it interesting.

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed spending another year of the weekly lectionary with ancient voices. I started in Year B so I am now finished with the cycle. Alas. I think I will go through these again at some point, but I find freedom in opening space in my devotional life too, and going through this series for three years was a joyous discipline. These beautiful thoughts inspired me and informed my reading through the rest of the week. (See the themes from my favorite passages below!)

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"The person characterized by humility, gentleness, mercy and righteousness does not build a fence around good deeds. Rather, that one ensures that these good fountains overflow for the benefit of others. One who is pure in heart and a peacemaker, even when persecuted for the sake of truth, orders his way of life for the common good." (John Chrysostom, 65)

"Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, look on us and have mercy on us, you who are both victim and priest, reward and redeemer; keep safe from all evils those whom you have redeemed, O Savior of the world." (Old Gallican Missal, 105)

"When people from different races and nations are called to abandon all their differences and to take on one mind, drawing near to him by one faith and one teaching, by which the soul and the heart become one, they are one holy people." (Andreas, 122)

"O God the unsearchable abyss of peace, the ineffable sea of love, the fountain of blessings and the bestower of affection, who sends peace to those who receive it, open to us this day the sea of your love, and water us with plenteous streams from the riches of your grace and from the most sweet springs of your benignity. Make us children of quietness and heirs of peace. Enkindle in us the fire of your love; sow in us your fear; strengthen our weakness by your power; bind us closely to you and to each other in one firm and indissoluble bond of unity." (Syrian Clementine Liturgy, 160)

"We must realize that our passion for justice in the face of another's evil must never cause us to lose the virtue of gentleness. Priests must not be quick-tempered or rash; they must instead be temperate and thoughtful. We must support those we challenge and challenge those we support. If we neglect this, our work will lack either courage or gentleness." (Gregory the Great, 265)

[Evan Hays · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, gotta be honest that I didn't read this cover to cover, but i enjoyed what i did read a lot. It was a devotional for this church year, and the new one starts tomorrow, so time to move on. The wisdom from the church fathers and mothers was always interesting, if sometimes hard to piece together.

[Tim Norman]

I have not been part of churches in the liturgical tradition. After reading James K. A. Smith, Desiring the Kingdom last year, I decided to add something liturgical into my life. Every Sunday morning, I read through Oden's compilation which follows the biblical readings set out in the liturgical calendar. Each weekly reading starts with an ancient prayer, then an OT reading with 3-4 ancient church comments on the passage. After the assigned Psalm reading, there is an NT reading with a few ancient comments, then a gospel reading with ancient comments. The entry ends with an ancient prayer. So great to read ancient comments from believers sometimes written over 1500 years ago.

[Andrew Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still reading through this but as a devotional the structure remains the same and I want to clear out my currently reading. Well-balanced with Scripture readings along liturgical calendar as well as reflections from the Fathers and Mothers of the early church and prayers.

[sch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beginning with Week 41. I've never read a devotional book of this sort before. In fact it's been a long time since I read a devotional, at all.

Stopping with the new year to switch to Cycle C.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this devotional even though I read it daily and I am not in a tradition that follows the lectionary. But the book gives you Scripture readings from the Psalms, gospels, OT, and NT each week. They are followed by comments from the church fathers and bookended by prayers. I highly recommend it as a devotional and as an easy entry point to reading the church fathers. You are just getting highlights and the gold form their writings without having to wrestle through the junk.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

These run Advent to Advent, so we finished this one off today. As always, there was much to enrich through the year. Augustine always stands out, not matter how good the others are.

Loved it.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like old dead guys like I do, this is a great way to work some into your daily devotions. Readings and prayers from the church fathers are put alongside weekly Scripture readings from the lectionary.

The richest part for me has been the prayers. For a week you pray the same opening and closing prayers (the other readings I divide up throughout the week), and the repetition has helped me go deeper into these prayers than I normally would. As is so often the case when praying the Psalms or other peoples' prayers, the first time often feels ill-fitting, like wearing your dad's clothes. But after several days of praying in ways and for things that I wouldn't ordinarily think to pray, I find that I'm praying for areas that are important for me but not normally on my radar. By the end of the week the prayers fit, and I'm grateful for having spent time with God in these areas.

[Greg]

One of my daily companions for the year.

[Eric Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Second Daily Faith tool. This has been a fantastic work and has proven to be both a constant revelation and solace to me in my daily walk of faith.

[Anita McIntire · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful and peace-filled devotional with real content.